What you need
Be Prepared to Provide
When contacting the Florida Abuse Hotline, please have as much of the information listed below available before you call.
This information is important to know no matter who is reporting or what method they choose to report.
If you are unable to obtain some of the information below, you may still call the Hotline, and a counselor will assess the information available to see if it meets statutory criteria for the Department of Children and Families to initiate a protective investigation.
Be prepared to provide the following information:
- Reporter name (this is required for professionally mandated reporters).
- View section 39.201, F.S., regarding Professionally Mandated Reporters for child reports.
- View section 415.1034, F.S., regarding Professionally Mandated Reporters for adult reports.
- Download the professionally mandated reporters packet.
- Victim name, possible responsible person, or alleged perpetrator name(s).
- Complete addresses for subjects, including a numbered street address, apartment or lot number, city, state, and zip code and/or directions to their location.
- Telephone numbers, including area code.
- Estimated or actual dates of birth.
- Social Security numbers, if available.
- A brief, yet concise, description of the abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation, including physical, mental or sexual injuries, if any.
- Names of other residents and their relationship to the victim(s), if available.
- A brief description of the victim's disability or infirmity (required for vulnerable adults).
- The relationship of the alleged perpetrator to the victim.